AP Lang - Unit 7 Vocabulary

Abeyance

(n.) - temporarily inactive, suspended, or set aside.
Syn: postponement, suspension
Ant: continuation, renewal

Ambivalent

(adj.) - having opposite and conflicting feelings about someone or something.
Syn: Ambiguous of 2 minds, conflicted
Ant: certain, decided

Beleaguer

(v.) - to surround from with an army; to trouble, harass
Syn: besiege, encircle
Ant: liberate, assist

Carte blanche

(n.) - freedom, authority
Syn: blank-check, free rein
Ant: restriction, control

Catalclysm

(n.) - a sudden or violent upheaval; a surging flood
Syn: disaster, catastrophe
Ant: blessing, good fortune

Debauch

(v.) - to morally corrupt or seduce; throwing your life away or doing something bad for pleasure. (n.) - the act of doing so.
Syn: carouse (v.), orgy (n.)
Ant: uplift, purify

Éclat

(n.) - great sucess or acclaim; great brilliance (or performance/achievement).
Syn: celebrity, flair
Ant: simplicity, modesty

Fastidious

(adj.) - overly demanding, hard to please; very detailed-oriented.
Syn: precise, finicky
Ant: sloppy, slovenly

Gambol

(v.) - to jump or skip about playfully
Syn: frolic, cavort
Ant: lumber, plod

Imbue

(v.) - to soak or stain thoroughly; to fill the mind
Syn: infuse, inculcate
Ant: lumber, plod

Inchoate

(adj.) - just beginning; not fully shaped or formed
Syn: incipent, embryonic
Ant: developed, complete

Lampoon

(n.) - the act of ridiculing with intent to cause emotional harm; a malicious satire. (v.) - to satirize, ridicule
Syn: burlesque (n.), parody (v.)
Ant: compliment, flattery (n.)

Malleable

(adj.) - capable of forming into different shapes; can be altered, adapted, or influenced.
Syn: pliable, impressionable
Ant: unyielding, ripid

Nemesis

(n.) - a powerful enemy inflicting vengeance or punishment that is hard to beat.
Syn: comeuppance, avenger
Ant: guardian angel, ally

Opt

(v.) - to make a choice/decision
Syn: choose, decide
Ant: reject, turn down

Philistine

(adj.) - showing a lack of interest to cultural and artistic values. (n.) - such a person.
Syn: boorish (adj.), pedant (n.)
Ant: refined (adj.), highbrow (n.)

Picaresque

(adj.) - a story about a clever rogue who goes on many funny, short adventures.
Syn: roguish, rascally
Ant: continuous, regular

Queasy

(adj.) - nauseated or uneasy, causing it; troubled.
Syn: unsettled, nauseous
Ant: calm, untroubled

Refractory

(adj.) - stubborn; hard to manage; not responsive to treatment or cure.
Syn: disobedient, mulish
Ant: docile, treatable

Savoir-faire

(n.) - being able to read the room in any situation; social competence
Syn: finesse, sophistication
Ant: tactlessness, boorishness